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U.S. stocks closed on Friday with modest losses, as a big drop in energy stocks offsets gains in other parts of the market. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 56.12 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,689.86. The Standard& Poor's 500 index lost 4.79 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,103.84.

LONDON, May 14- European shares extended a losing streak on Thursday as bond market jitters and a rebound in the euro currency, whose weakness has benefited many European exporters, weighed on stocks. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was down by 0.6 percent at 1,560.75 points in early session trading, although the index remains up by around 14 percent...

SHANGHAI, May 14- China stocks closed mixed on Thursday, as gains from the telecom sector balanced out losses from the real estate sector. The CSI300 index of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen fell 0.4 percent, to 4700.78, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.1 percent, to 4,378.31 points. The total volume of A shares traded in Shanghai...

SYDNEY/ TOKYO, May 14- The U.S. dollar was broadly lower on Thursday after poor U.S. retail sales figures proved a huge disappointment to those expecting a strong American economic rebound from a weather-weakened first quarter. Spreadbetters expected higher bond yields resulting in a slightly lower open for Britain's FTSE, Germany's DAX and France's CAC.

SHANGHAI, May 14- Telecom stocks in China rose on Thursday after Beijing said it planned to accelerate development of high speed broadband networks, while heavy industries slipped on further evidence of slowing economic momentum. China's money supply grew at its slowest pace on record and investment growth sank to its lowest in nearly 15 years, data for April...

*Konica Minolta jumps on higher shareholder returns. TOKYO, May 14- Japan's Nikkei share average dropped on Thursday as another rise in bond yields around the world kept many investors on edge, but Konica Minolta jumped after it joined a growing list of companies announcing higher payouts for shareholders. "I think the market is starting to price in an end of...

*Euro zone economy picks up pace but Germany lags. "The data puts into question the Fed's notion that the weak first-quarter data was transitory," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of Sarhan Capital in New York. MSCI's all-country world index of stock performance in 46 countries was up 0.4 percent, also helped by some signs of improved growth in Europe.

*Macy's, Ralph Lauren down after results. May 13- U.S. stocks opened higher on Wednesday as data suggested that the economy was not rebounding strongly enough for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates before September. "The data puts into question the Fed's notion that the weak first-quarter data was transitory," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of Sarhan...

*Numericable surges after broker price target upgrades. France posted its fastest economic growth rate in two years in the first three months of 2015, although Germany slowed from its robust pace late last year, official data showed on Wednesday. The euro zone's blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 index rose 0.7 percent.

The data will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. *Shares of pipeline company Williams Partners LP jumped 14 percent to $54 in premarket trading after Williams Cos said it would buy its affiliate for about $13.8 billion. *Owens-Illinois rose 2.7 percent to $24.44 after the glass container maker said it would buy the food and beverage glass container business of...

*Numericable surges after broker price target upgrades. France posted its fastest economic growth rate in two years in the first three months of 2015, although Germany slowed from its robust pace late last year, official data showed on Wednesday. The euro zone's blue-chip Euro STOXX 50 index rose 0.9 percent.

LONDON, May 13- Emerging market currencies and stocks strengthened on Wednesday after disappointing data from China spurred expectations of more stimulus from Beijing, with eastern European currencies drawing further support from better-than-expected growth data. MSCI's emerging market index was up 0.4 percent with the Asia ex- Japan index adding 0.5...

*Oil adds to overnight rally on OPEC demand forecasts. LONDON, May 13- European and Asian shares advanced on Wednesday as expectations of further monetary stimulus in China offset another mixed bag of data from some of the world's major economies. The best growth reading out of France in two years added to signs, following better figures from Spain, that some of...

May 13- Hong Kong stocks surrendered early gains and fell on Wednesday after fresh data showed China's economy lost more momentum in April. China's investment growth rate sank to its lowest in nearly 15 years, while factory output and retail sales in April missed forecasts. Among the most actively traded stocks on Hong Kong's main board were CCT Land, down 5.9...

SHANGHAI, May 13- China stocks retreated on Wednesday, breaking a three-day winning streak as disappointing economic data depressed a market already facing liquidity pressure ahead of a slew of new share listings. Souring sentiment outweighed optimism that mainland shares could be included in the MSCI index as soon as next month, a development that would...

TOKYO, May 13- Japanese stocks rose to over two-week highs on Wednesday, bouncing from earlier losses helped by investors buying Nikkei futures and on expectations the Bank Of Japan would buy equities, traders said. The Nikkei 225 ended 0.7 percent up at 19,764.72, the highest closing price since April 28. The broader Topix gained 0.1 percent to 1,604.21 and the...

TOKYO, May 13- Japanese stocks turned higher and hit 1-1/ 2- week highs in Wednesday's afternoon trade, bouncing from morning losses helped by investors buying Nikkei futures and on expectations the Bank Of Japan would buy equities, traders said. "Foreign hedge funds are seen buying Nikkei futures as the Nikkei is thought to be cheap," said Norihiro Fujito, a senior...

Investors hopeful that China stocks will be included in MSCI. SHANGHAI, May 13- China stocks dipped on Wednesday as worries over a fresh spate of new share listings offset hopes that mainland shares could soon be included in the MSCI index. "This is a big thing for the China market," said Wang Yu, analyst at Pacific Securities Co in Beijing.

TOKYO, May 13- Japan's Nikkei share average was little changed on Wednesday as volatility in global bond markets capped risk appetite, while investors focuses on companies which released earnings. "The Nikkei may remain pressured by uncertainty in the global market for a while, but the downside should be limited because of hopes that the BOJ will counter the...

*China to release April industrial output, retail sales, investment data. TOKYO, May 13- Asian shares firmed on Wednesday, shrugging off weakness on Wall Street as investors bet that a batch of economic data from China due later in the day would bolster the case for more stimulus in the world's second-largest economy. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares...